Helpless

Ghost? Not really!

"1...2...3...4..." Tom was not sure, if that was a nightmare or real. "...oh come on, why you are not covered fully by a blanket? I see you clearly. That's not good. You have to hide! This is in rules of the game! When someone counting to ten, another one have to hide!" Tom's eyes flew open, but room was empty. "H-H-Hay?" he called his name, but he heard only his own waggly voice. He finally made a decision, that was only a nice dream, when something happened. Window behind him slammed to the frame and cold wind filled the room. "Hay? Are you there?" he whispered. No answer. When he decided to go to the bed, he stopped and stared to the wall, where he saw a shadow. But when he came closer, there was nobody, except him. "Why are you here? Why are you not hiding?" this was too close to him to be only a nightmare and turned his head to the right. "Ghost? No I am not. Calm down, army boy." Man blinked to figure, who stood in front of him. "YOU are alive?" Hay laughed. "Pretty sure." And hugged a confused man. Tom considered his cold hand on his bottom and pushed him away. "What?! What's wrong with you?! Wasn't you dead?! I am pretty sure I saw your lifeless body in the closet." he yelled nearly. "Pff... of course you saw... damn, I was sent to punishing room, I was punished. And look at me, when I am talking to you!" His voice was cold and made Tom shivering. "Are you scared? Oh, no, I am sorry, I didn't want to be mean on you." he patted old man's shoulder with encouraging smile. Tom smiled back hesitantly and sat down on the bed.

"Come on, play with me. I'll count to ten..." Hay's voice still without his specific cheerful spark resonated in man's ears. "Fine!" he growled finally and made his way out of the room. Without hesitate he walked in to the changing room and hide himself behind the bed divider. As he did it, someone walked in. Tom held his breath. And heard a familiar voice... Therapeutist! What is he doing here? He never left his office before... "Be good. Be good. Everything is okay, you are just little confused. No war here. We are all free. And Japan begging for the mercy. You won a long time ago... now we are here. All free. So calm down. No bombs. No loud noises. No corpses. Calm down." Tom was surprised. He was so kind, emphatetic. Not like the man who haunted him even in his dreams. "Ar..marbe..." mumbled the man and Tom recognized him as Julian Pork. He was a soldier too, but little older. He suffered by hallucinations and nightmares even when he was awake. "Ok, Timothy, accompany him to his room and make sure he will be in his bed for the left of day." Tom visibly shivered. Timothy wasn't punished for beaten him unconscious, it looks like he was even praised for that. But he had to be quiet, so he just bite his lower lip. Finally, the men made their way out and he can return to his room without attention. As he was back in his room, Hay frowned at him: "Where did you go? I looked for you everywhere." Tom sighed and sat on the bed. "I was so scared... but he doesn't notice me. And before your return, I met a strange man named Rudy... he said you are only my imagination. Because, the man named Hay died by age." The younger man visibly faded from colour. "Listen, I need to tell you... there is something so wrong with them... they are too old. Not like you. Not by age. They remembering things, that never happend. Look at me... I am here. I am here with you. No death. And that, like you see me... this is not my fault." Tom blinked blankly on him. "How old are you, Hay?" Hay looked at him sadly. "Why you want to know? Didn't you hear me before? They are wrong..." His blonde hair shone from his white face, when Tom pushed him away. "Le-leave me alo-lone." he stuttered. And when he blinked, boy was gone. Why do I care?